Imphal, July 20 2009: Even as the state government is all set for the commencement of academic session at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science (JNIMS) latest by September this year, apprehension is hanging in the air over the selection of students for the course as the concerned government department remained silent on how the fifty students will be selected.

According to source available with this newspaper, the newly instituted JNIMS is commencing its courses with 50 students latest by September this year.

However, the silence of the concerned government department on the selection procedures of students has sent a red signal among the people.

A reliable source said that the government is planning to take in fifty students from the remaining merit lists of the recently held common medical entrance test conducted by the Medical Directorate.

It may be mentioned that 60 candidates have been nominated for pursuing MBBS and BDS courses at RIMS (for MBBS) and medical institutes outside the state (for BDS) as state nominees.

It is reported that the students for JNIMS may be selected from the remaining candidates in the merit lists.

It has been learnt from sources that the common medical entrance examination conducted by the Medica.

Directorate few weeks back was not related with the newly instituted JNIMS.

There has been no mention in the application forms for the said examination that candidates will also be recruited for JNIMS.

Sources said that the courses (for academic year 2009-10) for which the exam was held has begun and that cannot be linked with JNIMS.

Further, sources also tacitly said that a new application for the selection of fifty students for JNIMS should be invited.

Parents and guardians of students, who this reporter talked to, have also deep suspicion of government's silence on the matter of selection of students for JNIMS.

They are also suspicious whether the government is contemplating to turn the medical institute as a playground for corruption by selecting students unjustly, which will rather be detrimental for the institute in the long run.

Parents and guardians also felt that the written test conducted by the Medical Directorate for medical entrance examination in order to select candidates as state nominees for MBBS and BDS courses has no relation with the newly instituted JNIMS.

They even told this reporter that they would take legal assistance if the government planed to absorb the candidates in the remaining merit lists of the recently held medical entrance examination.

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